


I'm Yours

by kingburu



Series: Boogery Kisses [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Percy is totally awesome and Leo is the coolest boyfriend ever, warmth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-11
Updated: 2012-10-11
Packaged: 2017-11-16 02:12:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/534335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingburu/pseuds/kingburu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It starts with a boogery kiss in the middle of the night and ends with them skinny dipping in the canoe lake—and, well, Naiads can’t be angry at you if you’re jumping into the lake with a hot and naked Son of Poseidon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Yours

**Author's Note:**

> Title: I’m Yours  
> Rating: T+  
> Pairing: Leo Valdez x Percy Jackson  
> Genre: Comedy, Romance, Cheesiness, Fluff  
> Summary: It starts with a boogery kiss in the middle of the night and ends with them skinny dipping in the canoe lake—and, well, Naiads can’t be angry at you if you’re jumping into the lake with a hot and naked Son of Poseidon. (A long oneshot of how Percy and Leo get together and stay together.)  
> Notes: The story’s not intentionally named after the song, but it happened to pop up and seemed to describe the mood perfectly. So, I recommend listening to I’m Yours by Jason Mraz while you read this! (: The alternate title of this story is, 'Why kingburu shouldn't put her ramblings in a present-tense story.' Mild spoilers for MoA.

-x-

 

 

Really, Leo’s first kiss with Percy is pathetic.

 

Later, when he’s sure the _lares_ and praetors and Reyna and heck—the entire New Rome will ask, it’s something he and his lover remember agonizingly, pitifully, and embarrassingly.

 

Leo is sixteen when it happens. He waits until it’s late at night when the stars blanket the sky in glimmering light, when he can finally stop smiling in that fake way only Piper can sense, when Jake and Nyssa stop squeezing him in hugs until he feels like he’ll burst.

 

Then he saunters off to Bunker 9, only happy when the nymphs are no longer giving him suspicious looks about possibly causing a forest fire. In his home, his workshop, the only place he feels at peace, he shrivels and cries.

 

Because Jason’s gone. He’s more emotionally distraught than he’d like to admit, with his head between his legs and hands clamped over his ears so he can’t hear the sound of his own gross sobbing and hiccupping. He reminds himself it was only one kiss, that he was the one who initiated it, and that Jason is the one who puts his duty before his feelings.

 

So he shouldn’t take it as a personal offense; it shouldn’t feel like a rejection when Jason insists he’s the praetor and he is needed by his people.

 

Only he does and it _sucks._

 

Percy finds him because Leo’s stupid enough to leave the hangar open, like, he doesn’t mind right now if the Giants come and eat him whole. Well, maybe a little, since he just bought a nice pair of shoes—and having heartache _and_ a ruined pair of shoes is a terrible way to die.

 

Snot dribbles from Leo’s nose, smearing all over his upper lip, and he’s cried so much that curls are itchy around his temples. Percy stands at the entrance with Riptide unsheathed and he looks like he’s debating what would be more jerkish: standing there and watching Leo cry, or walking away like he’s seen nothing.

 

Eventually he decides the latter is meaner and Leo finds himself shriveling in front of the Son of Poseidon, who sits cross-legged in front of him with the really cool sword. He doesn’t ask what’s wrong,

just stares at his hands and gritty calluses he’s gotten from wielding a sword. When Leo feels like he’s out of tears (even though it _takes_ a while), Percy Jackson’s arms are wide open, welcome for a hug, and Leo jumps the gun by crawling into Percy’s lap with a fistful of orange t-shirt and face buried in the son of Poseidon’s chest.

 

Given the emotionally constipated look Percy gives him (torn between wanting to say something and wondering if he knows the _right thing_ to say), Leo ends up crying all over again, smearing snot, tears, and drool in Percy’s shirt. Jackson’s not very good at soothing words, but gentle strokes of comfort, he is.

 

Leo drags Percy’s shirt along his chest. He tilts his head just slightly, looking at the sheepish curl of Percy’s eyebrows and the kindness in sea green eyes, then kisses him. His hands rattle along Percy’s shirt and he yanks a bit—roughly for anyone’s comfort. Percy doesn’t kiss back—Hades, he’s still dating _Annabeth_ , Leo realizes, and Annabeth is going to _kill_ him when she finds out.

 

When he pulls away, there’s a ring of his own snot on Percy’s lip, sort of like a milk mustache. He squirms an apology as green eyes blink repeatedly to collect their bearings, and gets this weird smile.

 

“It’s fine,” Percy says and his voice cracks. He’s the older one; he’s the one who decided to stay; he’s the one that needs to comfort Leo.

 

When Leo stands up, gathering his own thoughts and trying hard not to look Percy in the eye while simultaneously keeping flames from erupting in his hair, Percy touches his shoulder benevolently.

 

“He’s an idiot,” Percy says with ease as though the problem is the most obvious thing in the world. Leo’s heart hammers in his chest and his entire body screams, but Percy only raises his head, then pulls his hand away. “And you’ll find someone.”

 

The next day, Annabeth discusses building designs with him as though nothing happened. Percy glances his way, longer than usual, waves, and jumps into the lake with all his clothes on because, hey, Son of Poseidon. Most normal thing ever.

 

Life goes on. Piper is still his best friend and at his side when they attend school in New York; he even goes home with her and Tristan McLean over Christmas. Percy is his sarcastic self, giving mischievous looks and comments that earn him a punch in the arm by his girlfriend, and Hazel and Frank keep in touch via Iris Message. Jason is busy, they explain.

 

And slowly, the clench in Leo’s heart slowly becomes a dull ache until it withers away altogether.

 

It’s not until a week after his eighteenth birthday that the thought of romance with Percy Jackson crosses his mind. The great power couple of Camp Halfblood breaks up due to personal reasons that only the Stoll Brothers are brave enough to ask.

 

Nonetheless, Percy does not seem distraught, nor does he seem depressed. Annabeth and he talk, albeit with less hugging and more smacks to the arm. They smile like it’s the happiest they’ve ever been, then Percy and Leo convince the Hermes Cabin to hand them part of their secret stash of Coca-Cola.

 

They spend days lounging at the edge of the lake with Percy’s bare feet in wet sand and toes tickling water, and Leo eating an apple while trying to keep sand out of his hair, and Grover (he’s cool, by the way) eating tin cans.

 

Leo never asks why Percy and Annabeth break up. It feels too personal, even when the other head counselor was right on the money with his feelings for Jason. (He winces at the last part—still waiting on that phone call that he knows will never happen.)

 

Instead, the summer starts nicely with Leo secretly planning to make an _Argo III_ after the ship is destroyed. Being single, Percy is a constant party Leo doesn’t mind (and secretly, he does more research to find something more _Poseidon-like_ or _Perseus_ -like to name this new ship, even if it doesn’t get much further than a celestial bronze model in one of Mr. D’s empty wine bottles.)

 

-x-

 

Percy listens to him talk. His eyes glaze over every three minutes, but then he apologizes and asks Leo to repeat what he’s saying about wires and reflux. Each time he does, Leo finds himself not minding and that Percy really, _really_ is listening until he can repeat the whole sentence to Annabeth, who looks to him appreciatively and applauds Leo for “teaching Percy new tricks.”

 

-x-

 

Leo watches Percy train. At first because he knows Percy doesn’t get the same amount of enthusiasm as he does from copper wires and infernal devices. The more he watches Percy spar—the way Percy swerves and ducks and pivots and elbows—the more Leo’s into it. He’s rolling on his feet at the edge of the pitch, watching as Percy spars with Clarisse LaRue from the Ares Cabin with his heart hammering in his chest.

 

He catches his breath, watching as Percy falls on the ground in pain. The fighter’s name rivets at his teeth and his heart hammers in panic while Clarisse smirks, because _damn_ , she’s _scary_.

 

When Clarisse raises her spear to deliver a final blow and Percy feigns before pressing Riptide to her neck, Leo _cheers._ Percy looks up and grins.

 

Leo has to clamp a hand over his mouth. He’s the only one jumping up and down in a group of six and seven-year-olds.

 

-x-

 

As much as Percy is revered as a hero at camp, the Hephaestus Cabin is terrified of him. Leo doesn’t understand why until Percy props on one of the workshop tables and accidentally crumples Jake’s blueprints of a badass sword. Nyssa looks ready to _kill_ Percy when he unintentionally kicks over one of the younger kids (Otto, Leo thinks with a wince—but to be fair, Otto’s never been one of the most graceful kids in his age group) which causes a domino effect with siblings falling over with important projects in their hands, the kick-start of a fire Leo _is not directly_ responsible for, and a dangerous toy robot that locks its claw onto one of Jake’s ears.

 

Percy’s promptly kicked out after that, guilty, with Leo following behind.

 

“Sorry,” Percy says miserably. He looks like a puppy that’s received a smack on the nose, sort of like Jason—(which is where Leo’s thought process halts, because at that moment he hasn’t thought of Jason in _forever_ and now he’s comparing Percy in the same context and—) “It just _sucks_ when I don’t get to hang out with you.”

 

The _you_ echoes in Leo’s head for a while, his cheeks turning pink. He shakes his head, jingles the nuts and bolts in his pockets and pats Percy on the shoulder. “You’re cool. We can hang out now.”

 

Faintly, Leo goes back to the puppy metaphor when Percy brightens and smiles from cheek-to-cheek.

 

-x-

 

It’s a hug. It’s a _hug._

 

Leo keeps the mantra in his head that yes, it is a _hug_ and not a signal of _I want to get in your pants **now**_ but his head is fuzzy and Percy’s ear is currently nuzzling his,  and he’s whispering _everything’s okay, it’s my fault, not yours._

 

Leo’s in that position sometime around three in the morning after Percy bangs on Bunker 9’s door sometime around eleven when Leo was planning to have Special Leo Fun Time (yes, he calls it that and plans to _keep_ calling it that until he’s buried in the ground where Nico can do some cool and freaky skeleton dancing with his bones.) His pants are only half on, hair doing some freaky fro-thing that Leo doesn’t like to linger in front of a mirror for, and he’s not even wearing a shirt.

 

Doesn’t really have time to, with Percy whining at his door step (Leo won’t lie when he says he waited an extra minute, because really, Percy is _cute_ when he whines). When he opens his door, the words seem to evaporate from his favorite counselor’s (shh, he’s biased) mouth. Percy stares longer than Leo’s comfortable with, then holds up Riptide with a whimper. A fucking _whimper._

 

“Stoll Brothers,” Percy manages, and he looks like a little kid mourning the loss of his Power Rangers action figure. “Explosives. It broke.”

 

The edge of Riptide is cracked, with little lines running down the shaft. Leo doesn’t know what kind of _explosives_ can break celestial bronze (well, he does, but he’s wondering who in _Hades’s mind_ would let Travis and Connor _near_ explosives), but he coaxes Percy into relaxing. He grabs a shirt, almost swears he sees a look of disappointment cross his partner in crime’s face, then begins his work.

 

It’s a simple task, but with a sword like Percy’s, Leo knows he wants the mends to be perfect. Sea green eyes keep looking around the bunker, taking in the sight, the little laptop with DVDs Leo hopes Percy’s too dyslexic to decipher, the beginnings of the Argo III in Mr. D’s stolen wine bottle, then onto Leo himself. He’s alarmingly aware the last time Percy and he were alone together was when they kissed, short of two years ago.

 

Leo’s focused for maybe ten minutes, makes an error and almost cuts his hand off, then tries to fix his mistake. He feels the blood circulating in his veins and summons a white hot flame at the tip of his finger to re-glue the tip together and is confident it won’t break this time.

 

He just doesn’t expect for Percy to lean in too close and catch his own hair on fire.

 

_“Holy Hephaestus—”_

_“Shit—!”_

There’s screaming, some bustling, and Leo trips over his pants and remembers he’s forgotten to buckle them before _duh_ , he summons a water bottle from his tool belt and dumps it on Percy’s head. The flame goes away and Percy’s hair mats to his face for about two seconds before the water snakes away, down the side of his face, beneath the jaw line, and slivers down Percy’s arm like rain.

 

Percy starts snickering, but Leo’s terrified.

 

“You were almost on fire,” Leo whispers, and he gets flashbacks to eight-years-old. Back to the workshop and evil Mother Earth and fire and his mother and— _fire._ He almost caused Percy to catch on _fire_ and panicked. He wants to yell because Percy’s just jostling and patting at the smoke that still flutters from his hair like black fog, but Leo’s mostly trembling.

 

Then, he’s sorta crying again, just like the first night Percy found him, and Percy stops laughing because he realizes it’s not funny. This time he doesn’t hesitate pulling Leo into a hug, his arms tight over Leo’s back and cheek pressing against cheek. He rocks a little, which is both soothing and humiliating since fuck, he’s eighteen and still crying like he’s five.

 

“I bet she was beautiful,” Percy whispers. Leo doesn’t ask how Percy knows about his mother since Piper, Jason, and Hazel are the only ones who he’s told in confidence. He doesn’t ask how Percy knew he’d be in the _bunker_ in the first place—back then and now.

 

He only nods. An hour later, he holds up the new Riptide.

 

He wonders if he’s dreaming when Percy hugs him again, this time kissing Leo on the cheek.

 

-x-

 

He doesn’t understand the disgruntled look on Percy’s face—the one he always has after talking to Piper later that summer. Percy always looks embarrassed like he’s been caught red handed, and at the moment, Piper kisses Leo on the cheek.

 

“Dad wants to make sure you looked up _all_ the scholarship opportunities,” she says.

 

“MIT is basically _paying_ me to go there,” Leo points out. He puffs his chest out and crosses his arms challengingly. He’s got a good eight inches on her.

 

Piper only laughs, stands on the tip of her toes, and ruffles his hair. “Sunday. Dinner. You and me?”

 

“Of course!” he says, and she grins before eying Percy again, then walks off with Annabeth through the streets of New York.

 

Technically it’s against the rules to sneak out of Camp unless it’s a quest, but they’re all head counselors and legal adults. When he turns to Percy, he’s met with ebony eyebrows pinched together and sea green eyes that look scared.

 

“You’re planning on going to MIT?”

 

“Yeah,” Leo responds instantly. The moment he does, the crushed look on Percy’s face only deepens, and Leo pales.

 

He grabs Percy by the hand, interlacing their fingers and jerks along Percy so there’s minimal space between them. It’s almost astonishing the way Percy suddenly blushes, and Leo can’t help but grin.

 

“We’ll make it work,” he hears himself saying. Percy responds by squeezing his hand, beaming.

 

Neither one finds it necessary to point out that they’re not exactly dating.

 

-x-

 

Truthfully, Leo has no idea who threw the idea out there. He’s convinced that Mr. D somehow laced alcohol in their Coke, and that’s why his boxer briefs are floating to the surface of the water and he’s winking at a dumbstruck Percy suggestively.

 

He splashes around, bare as the day he was born (and he pushes away sad thoughts, because this is supposed to be _sexy_ not _sad thoughts_ ) and doesn’t feel the slightest bit cold. Leo’s body temperature spikes a little, and he’s sure he’s hearing pleasant moans from Naiads along with their gasps and lewd giggles.

 

It’s late in the night and Leo’s head is fuzzy with giddiness. All he wants is have a fun last evening at camp and spend it with the guy he’s head over heels for.

 

He spins, not really in his element. Before Camp Halfblood, he was lucky to get a nice and wholesome shower at someone’s house after graciously fixing their toaster or their car then leaving the next morning before anyone was awake, because _hello_ he was _ten_ and Child Services was his worst enemy. Swimming in the canoe lake is definitely different—you know, being naked and all.

 

He hears Percy make a splash, then turns around to absolutely nothing. 

 

A moment later, and Percy’s covering his mouth before Leo can wake up the whole camp with a scream of, _“HOLY MOTHER OF HEPH—FUCK—!”_

Percy emerges from the surface like a giant shark and tackles him into the water. Leo attempts to wriggle free with spouts of laughter bubbling above them. When he opens his eyes, he realizes Percy’s pinned him down in wet sand, a shell or a fish or something digging uncomfortably in his back. They’re under water and naked and somehow breathing and _damn_ , Percy’s eyes are glowing, attuned to the water and he’s smiling like an idiot and his hair is waving in the current, hotter than the Little Mermaid could ever be.

 

Leo checks ( _admires_ ) Percy’s lean muscles and long legs (and maybe _little Perseus_ , too) just to make sure there isn’t a fish tail or a clam bra. Something is apparently funny in his reaction because then Percy is underwater-laughing and underwater-kissing him.

 

It’s different from that stupid kiss two years ago when Leo was emotionally distraught and Percy was emotionally constipated. So different Leo wonders if it’s really only been three years since he’s known the guy above him and decides that yes, kissing underwater is definitely more romantic than snot mustaches. He feels Percy sucking on his lip, and hands roam his body, so instead of being pinned to the lake floor, he’s floating an inch above with long limbs tangled and hip-rolling motions that can’t defy the laws of resistance.

 

Leo’s no doll. He thrusts up against Percy, loops an arm around his shoulder and appreciates the way Percy kind of stumbles. In limited moonlight and the only thing keeping him breathing this long under water, Leo maneuvers his legs and hopes he’s doing something good. Apparently he does, because there’s something close to a squeamish-moan coming out of Percy’s mouth and something hard pressed against his leg that is _not_ just Leo Jr.

 

Eventually, Percy takes Leo’s breath away. In a literal sense because he gets so focused on sensations that he forgets to make sure Leo can breathe too, and suddenly Leo’s being dragged to the surface, semi-delirious and still fuzzy-headed from the kiss. His curls are a floppy mop on his forehead and he breathes in air like it’s his lover.

 

“Oh my _gods_ , Leo!” Percy’s freaking out now, kind of making noises that are a cross between a puppy and the frog.

 

When Leo regains control over his body movements, he sobers to the circumstance of Percy flitting around babbling, _OSS!_ Or _SSO, shit is it SOS?_ It just goes to show that the son of Poseidon has _no_ idea what to do when someone is drowning. Or maybe it’s because it’s Leo, and Percy is just damn _adorable._ He wants to say something smart-assic that Percy would appreciate, but it comes out as:

 

“Do you wanna give me mouth-to-mouth?”

 

Percy looks to him this time with this semi-emotional constipation that Leo has trouble processing too. He laughs, then tackles the demigod in his own element.

 

“Happy Birthday,” Leo whispers kindly in Percy’s ear, who shudders as they kiss.

 

Later that night finds Leo in Cabin 3, sifting through Percy’s trunk of clothes that are way too big. He settles on a pair of boxer shorts that he’s semi-confident are clean and a shirt that’s too big no matter how he wears it. He’s taller than he was when Festus was fixed, but just all long limbs, long arms.

 

Leo settles on the bed next to Percy, who makes room, then lays down and takes Leo with him, so the son of Hephaestus is straddling his waist. A smile plays across Percy’s face, eloquent and sweet. He takes Leo’s hand, kisses the ashy knuckles (Leo’s trying this new moisturizer, he swears) and glides it behind him until Leo’s hand rests on the small of Percy’s back.

 

Leo drums his fingers experimentally and Percy’s eyes darken, a heavy breath exhaling from his lips.

 

“That’s my Achilles heel,” Percy murmurs, and it’s in a husky voice that makes Leo’s body stir all over again. From the pillow, Percy’s sea green eyes look to him lovingly. “Or at least it used to be. Back when I dipped in the River of Styx for the war between the Gods and the Titans. It’s not there anymore, but sometimes I feel like it is. And now, you and Annabeth are the only ones that know about it.”

 

 _Him and Annabeth._ The way Percy makes it sound, Leo translates as, _the only two people I have and will ever love._

 

It’s supposed to be a sweet moment between them. Sort of an exchange of heart because one of the nights over the summer, Leo actually told every detail of his mother to Percy—everything he’d never told Piper _or_ Jason—and Percy just nodded and listened and held his hand whenever Leo described the tougher, more emotional moments.

 

Somehow, Leo feels bad because he can’t bring himself to care. He pulls his hand away from Percy and yeah, it’s incredibly touching but at the same time kind of annoying.

 

“No offense,” Leo says, and he knows he’s using the tone that’s _absolutely_ offensive and usually gets him punched in the face, “but I don’t care.”

 

Percy blinks, stunned. He isn’t particularly mad, just… _surprised._

Leo drums his hand on Percy’s bare chest and can’t help but feel offended. “I get it. You’re the son of Poseidon, one of the deadly Big Three, but…c’mon. I pulled just as much weight as you did during the war with the Giants.” He slides off Percy and takes the space with his back pressed into the wall. Propping his elbow into the bedspread. “I was kind of hoping this was equal partnership here.” There’s no way he’s going to be the _girl_ in the relationship and wait around and be kidnapped by ogres or something.

 

And then he wants to hit himself for saying _girl_ like it’s a bad thing because if there’s anything being a halfblood has taught him, it’s that girls are scary and kick ass. That deadly combination is why they’re so damn gorgeous.

 

He’s sure he’s blown his chances by the way he speaks, but suddenly Percy’s blinking again like he’s had an epiphany. Reaching out to stroke Percy’s face, he raises his head and kisses Percy on the lips.

 

“I don’t care that you’re the son of Poseidon. I mean, I do, because underwater kisses are _awesome_ ,” Leo feels himself going on a tangent, so he decides to focus. He hikes a leg between Percy’s and hooks an ankle in one of Percy’s knee before staring into those beautiful sea green eyes. “But I care more that you’re _Percy._ Got it, Jackson?”

 

Hopefully that’s the right thing to say. This time, Percy breaks into a smile and he scoots closer until they’re both squished and their noses are squished together and Leo can feel Percy breathing on his lip. “I like that.”

 

They touch foreheads and Percy kicks the thin blanket over both their legs. Leo breathes in the scent of sea water and everything that adds up to Percy and nudges his head under Percy’s chin before closing his eyes to sleep. “I like that too.”

 

-x-

 

They keep in touch through Iris Messages and that one time a gorgon collided through Leo’s classroom. Percy kissed his boyfriend passionately and cheerfully said hi before babbling something along the lines of ‘ _Sorry, Hot Buns, gotta go slay this gorgon!’_ before hopping off Leo’s desk and chasing it down the hallway (okay, Leo added the hot buns part, but it seems like Percy thing to do.)

 

Leo’s not really one to stay still. Secretly he hates being in a classroom, but he knows that his mother would be proud knowing that he’s aiming for an engineering degree. The moment he’s done with his last exam, he almost _sprints_ to the airport through below-freezing Massachusetts winter weather, and is on the next flight to California instantly. He’s lucky to have an adoptive Cherokee father who doesn’t care how much money Leo needs (even though Leo _insists_ he’ll pay every dime back anyway) and an adoptive sister who greets him at the airport after a long flight.

 

Tristan gives him a quick hug and then apologizes for having to leave so soon. Once Leo and Piper are left alone they take the drive to the particular highway.

 

“He’s been eager to see you,” Piper explains with a smile. “Jason says Percy cleaned up his room.”

 

“Which means he’s shoved everything under his bed,” Leo snorts. He wants to smile, but finds it breaking. His heart aches, hearing _that_ name aloud, and he stops before they reach the entrance of New Rome where he can see two campers guarding the entrance.

 

Piper stops too. Maybe it’s the fact they’ve known each other for so long or the fact that she’s the daughter of Aphrodite, but he knows she senses his heartache. Sometimes he wonders if she got the easier part of the deal by breaking off her relationship with Jason when _she_ noticed the sexual tension before _they_ did. “Are you gonna be okay?”

 

They don’t need to toss the name around again. Leo has _Percy_ now. He nods his head and urges them to step closer. “It shouldn’t be a problem.”

 

It’s not.

 

After they greet the two campers on duty, Leo barely makes it over the bridge of the Little Tiber before a giant pillar of water explodes from the river and Percy shoots out before tackling him over the bridge.

 

“Oh my gods!” Leo sorta shouts, sorta laughs as arms bind around him and he’s swooped into a kiss. Percy’s happier than Leo’s ever seen him, and sea green eyes are lighting up like a little kid’s. There are kisses—tons of kisses, and Leo’s giggling.

 

When the commotion dies down, Percy brings them to the surface, hand-in-hand and looking at him appreciatively in a purple shirt, dark pair of jeans and some tennis shoes. The Legion tattoo is dark on his arm, and his smile is incredulous.

 

“I’ve missed you,” Percy says in this tear-jerking, romantic kind of way that’s still Percy, because _Percy_ doesn’t realize when he’s being amazing.

 

“I’ve missed you too,” Leo murmurs, and _he’s_ the one to kiss Percy as they walk to the other side of the river to great the centurions and whoever the hell is at Camp Jupiter because _Roman_ and _Greek_ camps aren’t really segregated anymore. He sees Annabeth holding hands with a happy Reyna and Hazel, who looks much taller than the last time they’d met and even Nico, who stares at him in amusement. There’s stupid Octavian, too, but Leo tries not to acknowledge him.

 

Most importantly, he sees Jason, who stands up front in praetor robes alongside Reyna with an unreadable expression that makes Leo’s stomach clench.

 

Before he can dwell, Percy yanks on his hand with a laugh and hovers toward Piper, who looks equally amused as Nico did and declares they have a welcome dinner at the Forum.

 

-x-

 

Percy was never the _stay-in-a-desk_ type, he explained earlier that summer when they waltzed through New York, hand-in-hand. After he graduated high school (thankfully able to stay in the same one for four straight years), he decided to train and help campers become more familiar with the “other side of them.”

 

It took a lot of convincing, some pushing that Leo wasn’t sure he was emotionally ready for, but Percy finally agreed he would serve out his ten years as a Legionnaire. Surely the distance between Massachusetts and New York already sucked enough, let alone _California_ , but being a halfblood was a part of both of them. Percy had a sense of duty and decided his next quest would be to teach the Twelfth Legion a sense of humor.

 

And later, when Leo had his degree and was a badass creating  weapons of mass destruction and breaking things out of Area 51 (Percy had laughed at that, months ago), they could be reunited and _make it work._  

 

Besides, Greeks and Romans got along now. It was a lot of hard work, but it was working. Leo watches appreciatively at the product of the war where he recognizes some Greek faces and Roman ones he occasionally sees around Camp Halfblood.

 

He’s sharing blue cheesecake with Percy, whose lips are _stained_ with the thing and grinning at something funny Annabeth says. Even in different relationships, Annabeth reaches over and punches _Seaweed Brain_ in the arm for being stupid before kissing Reyna and apologizing for his idiocy.

 

Wind spirits whistle out and about the room, music plays, and Octavian reaps a stuffed bunny. Everything’s perfectly fine.

 

Even when he accidentally drops his goblet and Jason picks it up. They stare at each other a moment, eyes locked together and Leo can feel his heart hammering in his chest. Finally, Jason sets it on the table and smiles warily. “Good to see you.”

 

Percy’s hand tightens. Leo almost wishes it was as easy as throwing his arms around Jason’s shoulders like he’s a brother, then kiss him on the cheek like Piper did. Instead, he takes in a deep breath and fist bumps his old love.

 

“You too.” Leo smirks. “You’re gonna kiss my ass during War Games, Grace.”

 

Suddenly, they can pretend to be civil again as Percy snorts blue Pepsi and Jason blinks, astonished, before laughing. “You’re on.”

 

-x-

 

Leo hits the bed as soon as Percy closes the door. He hears a chuckle as Percy shuts it behind him, then whines when Percy insists he scoots over. Percy disposes of shin guards, his shoes, and maybe his pants, but Leo’s eyelids are too heavy to take notice. A moment later, all he feels is a hand bristling down his spinal cord, rubbing small circles and padding skin.

 

Just for Percy, he leans a cheek into a fluffy pillow and opens a brown eye. “I bet you were counting the days until I came.”

 

“Every single one,” Percy promises. A lock of wavy hair falls into his eyes, and Leo reaches over to push it aside. Just like the last night of summer camp, Percy reaches out for it and kisses his knuckles. “Would you believe me if I said I made the gorgon attack your school on purpose, too?”

 

“Maybe. You _do_ have a bad reputation with schools.” Leo wrinkles his nose and smiles playfully. He breathes languidly as Percy reaches down for a lazy kiss. They mash for a while, with Percy sucking on his bottom lip and overall making Leo feel warmer in a way his fire never could. It revitalizes him, and Leo jolts up from the bed before squeezing the inside of Percy’s thigh.

 

Percy looks to him curiously. Maybe concerned. “You’ve been on a plane for eight hours.”

 

“I’ve fixed a dragon in less, have been turned into gold, shot down New Rome in less than twenty minutes of the Argo II’s arrival, and have been chased by rabid fangirl nymphs.” Leo gives Percy a pointed look, but flying in the sky is apparently super scary for the son of Poseidon, even if it _was_ First Class. “I’m going to be _very_ mad right now if my boyfriend doesn’t want to make love to me.”

 

Fortunately Percy doesn’t take much convincing. A while later, he’s flushed from the tips of his cheeks down to his chest with Leo straddling his hips. They kiss, and Leo runs his hand _very delicately_ on the small of Percy’s back, which evokes a moan he’s _very_ glad to hear. Sweat mats on his forehead, pressing curls above his eyebrows and making his body warm all over.

 

He’s all lubed up with Percy’s dick pressed to the curve of his ass when Leo takes something into consideration. “Hum.”

 

Percy tilts his head in good humor. “Hum?”

 

“Jason was right.”

 

And then Percy looks a little miffed because hey, you can’t really use your first (and _ex_ ) love as a safe word when you’re about to take the mighty plunge. “Excuse me?”

 

“You _did_ clean your room.” Leo plops down, eliciting moans from the both of them.

 

-x-

 

Jason and he _do_ talk. Right away, too, because Leo’s sure they both want closure before the month is over so they can be best friends again. The question used to nag in his head, asking why it’s been two years since Jason and he have talked to each other, but it’d withered away with the dull ache about a year ago when Leo accepted Jason fought for his duty before his heart.

 

However, sitting in the Forum for an early breakfast after _Percy’s_ the one sleeping in with a fit of snores, he finds it very awkward sharing donut holes with Jason. There are few campers around, and not very many of them are aware of Jason and his history together, other than the fact Leo drove the Argo II here years ago with Jason on board.

 

As casually as possible, Jason picks up a donut hole, dips it in icing, and allows it to roll. Leo doesn’t know what to say—he crouches over and nudges his blue _magdalenas_ , something only Percy and Reyna can fully appreciate.

 

“I wanted to call you,” Jason says which sounds empty because Percy’s wanted to call him, too, and _has._ “I just…it…it would have been harder.”

 

“I know,” Leo says without really looking up from his food. He knows now. He’s not sixteen and easily swept off his feet by the son of Jupiter, even if he has badass wind powers. He still doesn’t know why Jason and he can’t be together but—well, he doesn’t really care. Jason cornered him early this morning while Percy was still buck-naked and snoozing while Leo sorted out luggage, wearing Percy’s oversized purple shirt and fumbling for a clean pair of underwear.

 

“How long have you and Percy been together?” Jason asks. Leo can’t help but wonder how recently the praetor found out.

 

“Four months tomorrow.” The smile on his face is just a product of his happiness.

 

“Oh,” Jason says, then he grows quiet. After about ten minutes where Leo’s respectably silent even though there’s a grumpy kitten scratching on his insides, Jason speaks again. He takes a hold of Leo’s hand in...the most platonic way possible, and Leo looks up to blue eyes. He doesn’t miss the _yearning_ in them, but it’s overpowered by something else. Their friendship. “Three years ago you and I were on a quest to save Hera. You said we were friends before, and since that first day I’ve never doubted you.”

 

Leo gulps.

 

“I want you to be happy.” Jason fumbles into his smile, but he’s always been earnest. It’s like that stapler scar on his lip is smiling too saying, _don’t worry, he’s being honest._ Blond eyebrows press together and Jason tightens his grip. “Okay?”

 

For the first time in his life, Leo’s speechless. He literally can’t summon a thought to save his life, nor can he think of something intelligent to say. Jason reaches over the table and presses a kiss on his cheek, and then he’s gone, leaving Leo dumbstruck.

 

Twenty minutes later, Percy stumbles into the Forum with a lazy smile and bed hair. He reaches over, kisses Leo on the lips and mumbles a very crackly _good morning._  

 

-x-

 

So, they’re cool again. Despite the initial shock and Piper’s wary looks between Jason and he, Leo can honestly say— _been there, done that, don’t need it._ Jason and he fist bump like everything’s normal even though Percy’s adorably confused and maybe a little jealous, and somehow Jason and Leo are lumped together for the first round of War Games. That doesn’t really matter though—Piper, Jason, and he are together again like their first mission, and no matter how many times someone explains how the teams are divided, Leo decides he’s going to go with the flow.

 

“You really think having the son of Jupiter under a tunnel is a good thing?” Leo can’t help but asking with amusement as Hazel expertly leads the way. Piper giggles, Jason offers a wry smile.

 

“And how do you suppose a Child of Hephaestus is helpful?”

 

“ _I_ provide light. Light’s beautiful, so _I’m_ beautiful,” he says, and does a royal gesture. Piper and Jason laugh again, and there’s too much warmth in the tunnel to not smile.

 

“Annabeth says the seven of us— _plus Reyna—_ should have dinner,” Hazel says over them. She swishes around, her even-longer curls puffing like a cloud. “You know, like old times.”

 

“Sounds good,” Leo grins, and he fists bumps with Jason and Piper. There’s no tension—they work well as a team and with Hazel at their side, it’s an even better advantage. You know—if it wasn’t for the fact that Percy’s the one guarding the banner.

 

He doesn’t know _how_ he ended up being pitted against his boyfriend, he knows it just kind of _happened._ Nevertheless, just because they were enemies did not mean that competition was going to be dull. If anything, _conquering_ may have a double meaning in bed. Tonight. You know, sex.

 

Leo cracks his fingers and climbs out of the little dwelling with a heavy gladius hanging off his belt. He slicks his hair back and rolls up his sleeves. Then, he unsheathes his gladius and charges at Percy. Percy, who’s obviously had ten times more training at camp than Leo ever has, flings around immediately and forces the hilt of his sword into Leo’s armor. Gods, that’s _hot._

 

He’s pinned to the ground with a knee on his stomach and the hilt of Riptide on his neck because Percy’s a softy like that. Sea green eyes greet him from beneath the helm, never short of dry wit and mirth. Leo decides to dissolve the situation.

 

“Hey babe.” He wiggles his eyebrows and wheezes a little. “You a tamale? ‘Cause you’re _hot._ ”

 

Fortunately, Percy thinks his pick up lines are the most adorable thing ever. A smile quirks across his lips, if not already amused before, and he digs the hilt deeper in Leo’s neck. “So, you and Jason work everything out?”

 

For a moment, Leo forgets his plans. Really, a serious talk like this _usually_ does not happen while he’s pinned to the floor with Percy on top of him. Or—oh, maybe it does. With less weapons. “Yeah. We talked.”

 

He feels the grip of Riptide loosen a little. He’s trying to hide it behind amusement, maybe channeling all things that are awesome about Leo, but Leo can still sense his nervousness. “And?”

 

“And he wishes us a good life and knows that I love you.” Leo bursts into a smile and runs his fingers across Percy’s jaw. He raises his chin, taking in the sight of his gorgeous boyfriend in the fortress and sighs happily with the word against his lips. “I love you.”

 

For all that’s good in the world, Percy’s expression softens and he drops the sword. “I love you too.” He reaches down and plants a kiss on Leo’s mouth.

 

Leo’s hands dig under Percy’s helmet into messy hair and he extends his neck to deepen the kiss. When Percy looks back to him, happy as can be, Leo grins.

 

“Remember our first kiss?” Percy suddenly asks. Leo blinks.

 

“Yeah. It sucked.”

 

Percy makes a face, smiling, but he doesn’t look like he’s agreeing with that sentiment. Instead, he thumbs Leo’s lips and arches an eyebrow. “There’s less snot this time. But I liked it.”

 

Oh. Leo blinks, again at a loss of words again. He does the only thing he can think of, kissing Percy passionately and throwing his arms around the son of Poseidon’s neck. Then, as they pull away with matching grins—“I’m going to throw you in the mote now.”

 

“What—?” _SPLASH!_

Percy lands in the water just as Hazel seizes the banner.

 

Leo throws his fists into the air. “VICTORY!!”

 

**The End**


End file.
